New Horizons

I have had a lot going on for the past few months, but I went on a three day kayak trip down the Big Black River with my buddy Brennan earlier this week. I built a small pirogue last summer, and Brennan bought it from me. He ended up taking the pirogue on the trip. Seeing a boat that I built functioning, coupled with the wilderness of the Big Black, got the Tiki juices flowing! I had lost sight a bit, I think, of what this boat is being built for, but now I have regained full awareness. I'm working my ass off now to get Beto up and running, so the blog will be getting updated much much more often from now on.

Brennan enjoying his pirogue

 



 

Sanded Starboard Hull Ready for Final Coat of Epoxy in Bilges

 

Starboard Bunks Being Coated

 

Endgrain on Beams is Being Coated to Prep for Top and Bottom Planks

 

Pull Out Bunk Section Supports

 

Soon Both Hulls Will Have Bunks!

 

Experimenting with Bilgekote to See if I'll need a Primer or Not

Sails

I found a pic of my sails on my phone. It's not a great one, but you can definitely see the crisp-factor on them! I got the same sails from Westaway that Rory used in the Jester Challenge. They should zoom Beto right along!

I'm up at Fort Bragg in NC for some training right now. I will be back on the 24th of May, and I will be getting back to Beto. I'm ready to knock it out! I've been sailing a Capri 25 and a Sabre 34 almost every day since I moved home to MS, and I haven't been this happy for a long time. I'm just ready to get back on a multihull! You can't beat broad reaching with little to no wetted resistance on a multi!

Trailer

I decided a long time ago to build a trailer like Rick Hueschen's, and I was prepared to drop the $1200 or so to get the exact same one. However, I found a galvanized Hobie 16 trailer here in town on Craigslist and managed to get it for $220 bucks! It needs new tires, but they are cheap. I need an extra three feet added to the tongue to clear the bows when turning, but I got a quote from a welder here of $80 bucks to add on the extra length. Between that, the parts for the hull cradles, and the tires, I should have a telescoping trailer for less than five hundred bucks!

That's my mast sitting on top 

Crossbeams

I discovered the magic of 36 grit belts for my belt sander. I had to sand all of the beam compression struts down and fair with the curve of the web. I was using 80 grit belts which took FOREVER, but I managed to knock out two beams with 36 grit in twenty minutes. I'm seriously stoked on these belts right now! Anyways, the magic belts have provided even more inspiration to get Beto knocked out. Here is a picture with the top and bottom planks clamped on temporarily.

Finally back to work!

So after much procrastination, I have regained my full motivation to get Beto going. I sold my Montgomery 15, and the stress of having to store it and everything is gone finally! Today I sanded down the edges of all the glass tape in the cabins to prepare them for a fill coat. I have made mini fillets on all of the diagonal stiffeners in the anchor lockers and bilges as well. I really want to get some decks on this thing. Tomorrow I'm cutting and gluing on the bunk bearers for the starboard hull, and hope to get them in quickly. The Lowe's here actually sells select Douglas Fir lumber, and I am pretty stoked that I don't have to drive two hours to get it anymore. Anyways, here is a picture of Beto in the new garage.